People always seem comforted when they decide to order or
make themselves a salad. “It’s super healthy”, they think. Sometimes this is
true. However, a lot of the time, people make their salads just as unhealthy,
or even more so, than the sandwich or other meal they forewent. I must confess,
at one time I was guilty of this. I assumed having a Chicken Caesar salad was a
great option, while in reality I was consuming a ton of extra fat and calories.
For example, Panera’s Caesar salad dressing has 160 calories, 140 of which come
from fat. Some restaurants are better, and some are much worse. Luckily, I saw
the light and learned how to make salads a truly healthy and nutritious part of
my day. Here are some tips on how to make an amazing, delicious, and guilt-
free salad!
1. Start with a ton
of dark, leafy greens, like spinach! Dark, leafy greens are full of
vitamins and minerals like beta carotene, vitamin c, iron ,potassium, vitamin k,
and more! It is controversial whether iceberg lettuce is truly less nutritious.
I prefer to play it safe and go with the stuff I know is good!
2. Add one good source of protein- I love
to go with beans or maybe even some quinoa. This is the main source of calories
in my salads. Stick with one serving of whatever protein you prefer, to keep
with a normal calorie count. Do you really need chicken, beans, and walnuts?
3. Throw in some
veggies, or even fruit! – Fruits and veggies add volume and nutrients to your
meal without a ton of fat or calories! I love to put in any of the following …
Spaghetti squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beets, shredded carrots,
mushrooms, artichokes, mandarin oranges, avocado, strawberries, zucchini and
more!
4. Know what to avoid-
What is the point of having a “healthy salad” if you throw bread and cheese
all over it? One cup of croutons can add anywhere from 90 to well over 100
calories to your salad. The worst part is that usually these are white croutons,
made from refined flour, offering zero nutritional value, and sending your
sugar levels into a frenzy. Cheese also adds an unnecessary addition of fat to
your salad. Learn to simplify. Leaving out little things like this can make a
big difference in the long run.
5. Most importantly,
pick the right dressing! Ever wonder how the calorie load of salads seems
ridiculously high? The main culprit is most always the dressing. For example,
the ranch dressing I found in my fridge is 140 calories per 2 tablespoons, with
130 calories coming from fat. Now one may argue, that olive oil has a very
similar profile. The difference comes in the ingredients. Olive oil is a pure
ingredient. You know what you’re consuming here. In contrast, the ranch has
soybean oil, buttermilk, disodium phosphate, sorbic acid, modified food starch,
and a ton of other ingredients I can’t pronounce. Another dressing I found in
my fridge was a lighter Raspberry Vinaigrette. This seems like a healthier
choice maybe, but upon further inspection it contains high fructose corn syrup!
The best thing to do for salads, including its dressings, is
to stick to pure whole ingredients. Don’t go putting anything in there that you
can’t pronounce! (Ok that’s a pretty basic rule for all of your nutrition
decisions, but it’s super easy with salads!). So, what does that leave you with
for dressing? Here are some of my favorites!
Olive oil( just a light drizzle)
Olive oil combined with mustard (any kind of mustard, gives
you a super creamy taste without the fat and calories from the eggs and milk in
a Caesar or ranch etc!)
Balsamic Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar (vinegars have zero cals usually!)
Salsa! (very low cal)
Lemon or lime juice
While out to eat, just ask for some oil and vinegar on the
side instead of whatever normal dressing they are planning to give you. All you
need is a light coating of whatever you choose for a little moisture and
flavor! Add some pepper, and poof…you have a super delicious, guilt free,
nutritious meal!
A typical lunch for me is a salad with beans, squash,
tomato, spinach, onion, mustard, a little olive oil, and pepper! I accompany
this with a low cal whole wheat tortilla and maybe some fruit, and know I am
providing myself with light, energizing, and awesome fuel that will help me
power through my day!
What does your salad usually look like? Could you make a few
changes? Cut out anything unnecessary and make your “healthy meal” even
better!
Be Well.
Love, Julie
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